Former Harvard Student Fakes Application

Identity fraud isn’t just for credit card thieves: A former Harvard student was indicted Monday for submitting false information on his applications to Harvard and for several scholarships. Twenty-three-year-old Adam Wheeler’s indictment included 20 counts of larceny, identity fraud, falsifying an endorsement or approval, and pretending to hold a degree. Wheeler submitted applications for a Harvard endorsement when applying for both the Rhodes and Fulbright Scholarships. The package included made up recommendations from Harvard professors, a college transcript with three years of perfect grades, and a resume listing books he had co-authored, lectures he had given, and courses he had taught. When a Harvard professor noticed striking similarities between Wheeler’s work and another professor, a red flag was raised and a full review of the application began. This is familiar territory for Wheeler; before Harvard, he was suspended at Bowdoin for academic dishonesty.